Underframe for vehicles, fspecially railway cars



W. B. DEAN April 1s, 195o UNDERFRAME FOR VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS Filed April 17. 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR Waler B. Dean. BY fKu-74 ATTORNEY W. B. DEAN April 18 1950 UNDERFRAME FOR VEHICLES,ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS Filed April 17, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 YB DeanM7: ATTORNEY INV ENTOR Walt W. B. DEAN April 18, 1950 UNDERFRAHE FORVEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS '7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 17. 1945v w @y mm D M Y l l l l l 1 l 1 l l I l i.. M R mm? m EH T ma A 1whunmmummmumulnmmmm April 1s, 195o 2,504,113

UNDERF'RANE FOR VEHICLES, `IISPECII..I.Y RAILWAY CARS w. B. DEAN '7Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed April 17. 1945 Ilrllellxldllwllnlzllu g z t YINVENTO D M ATTORNEY April 18, 1950 w, B DEAN 2,504,113

UNDERFRAME FOR VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS Filed April 17. 1945 7Sheets-Sht 5 P KG. 9

Walter @7pm ATTORNEY W. B. DEAN April 1s, 195o UNDERF'RAME' FORVEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS Filed April 1v. 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 6lNvl-:N'roR Walter B. Dean 7? M# ATTORNEY W. B. DEAN April 18, 1950UNDERFRAME FOR VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY RAILWAY CARS Filed April 17. -1945 7Sheets-Sheet 7 ATTORNEY lNVENTOR Walter B. Dea.

Patented Apr. 18, 1950 UNDERFRAME FOB VEHICLES. FSPEGIALLY RAILWAY CARSWalter B. Dean. Nal-berth, Pa., assigner to The Budd Company,Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsyl Application April 17, 1945,Serial No. 588,886 zo claims. (ci. s-416) The invention relates to anunderframe for vehicles such as railway cars and more particularly to anunderframe of the type having a center sill provided with cross membersfor supporting the flooring and for connection with the end andside-:walls u n l A`primaryobjet, sill for velii underframes whichcombines minimum weight with the ability to withstand most severestresses and to counteract the well known tendency of center sills tobend upwardly in the middle together with the entire body when subjectto severe longitudinal compression.

Another object of th'nventlonisanend lmdilf; frame adapted for thetransmission of the stresses from the coupler and buffer into theadjoining portion of the body`center sill without undue stressconcentrations and with such distribution of the stresses contributingto the achievement of the above outlined main object.

Still further objects of the invention have to do with the simple andefcient connection between the center sill and the remainder of theunderframe structure, with the connection of the latter to certain ofthe upstanding body walls, and with the construction and arrangement ofthe underframe members adjoining the center sill.

With the aforesaid and other objects in View. a main feature of theinvention resides in a center sill which, contrary to the customarystructures, is asymmetrically constructed in regard to a horizontallongitudinal plane passing through' the geometric center line of thesill and which has a concentration of strength in its lower portion sothat the neutral axis lies closer to the underside than to the upperside of the sill.

Another feature of the invention consists in an end underframeconstruction having means for directing the stresses exerted on the endunderframe by the buffer and coupler in a downwardly inclined directionand thereby toward vthe strong lower portion of the adjoining bodycenter sill.

The invention is especially adapted, though by no means restricted, foruse in combination with the copending applications Serial No. 580,646,Body for Vehicles, Especially Rail Cars" of the inventor and Serial No.580,647, Body Construction, Especially for Rail Cars, of R. J.Theriault, both filed on March 2, 1945. The body center sill may also beused in connection with or as part of the end underframe structuredisclosed in the simultaneously led application Serial No. 588,760 ofthe inventor and Albert G. Dean, on End Underframe Construction forVehicles, Especially Railway Cars.

The outlined and other objects, advantages and features of the inventionwill be more clearly and more easily understood from the embodimentillustrated in the attached drawing and described in the following.

In the drawing:

small scale planvview of the main Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view ofthe complete underframe on a larger scale;

Fig. f3 is a fragmentary side elevation partly in` section along line3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the end underframestructures with the adjoining the body center sill, the same structurebeing sho n in the preceding figures yet on a smaller scale and withless deails;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section along line 6-8 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary end elevation of one of the end sills viewed inthe direction of the arrows on lines 'I-'l of Fig. 2 but on a largerscale;

Fig. 8 is an inside elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 7, and asection along line 8-8 of Fig. 2 through the underframe structures onthe scale of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary end elevation of the transverse sill at thevestibule partition wall and a section substantially along line 9-9 ofFig. 2 lllrough the end frame center sill on the scale of Figs. 10 and"11 are fragmentary sections through the center sill of the end frameand through adjoining underframe parts substantially along lines II-IIIand II--I I, respectively. of Fig. 2 and on the scale of Fig. 7;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary end elevation of the bolster beam and a sectionthrough the end frame and body center sills substantially along linesI2--l2 of Fig. 2l on the scale of the preceding figures:

Fig. 13 is a large scale fragmentary longitudinal section through thenon-vestibule end of the underframe substantially along line I3-I3 ofFigs. 2 and 14;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary plan view of the region surrounded by line I4in Fig. 2 on the scale of Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary section corresponding to and on the scale ofFig. 13 yet of the vestibule end and taken substantially along linel5-l5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 16 is a large scale section through one of 3 the bolster beams andthe adjoining floor and a side elevation of the adjoining center sillportions, the section being taken substantially along lines I6-I6 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary end elevation of one of the cross bearers orneedle beams and a, section through adaoining portions of the centersill. side sili and floor substantially along line I1-I1 of Fig. 2 on asimilar scale as the preceding ngures;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary transverse section on the scale of Fig. 17through the middle portion of the underframe in a region between abolster beam and a cross bearer, tne section being taken substantiallyalong hnes I8| 8 of Figs. 2 and 19; and l Fig. 19 vis a section throughone of the cross bearers and adjoining floor portions substantiallyalong lines lei-I9 of Figs. 2, 17 and 18 and on the scale of the latter.

The underframe illustrated in the drawing comprises: a body center sillI; end underframes 2 and 3, each provided with a center sill portion 4and a bolster beam end cross bearers 6 and 1; a vestibule partitioncross bearer 6; and intermediate body cross bearers or needle beams 6.The general arrangement of these members is clearly illustrated in Fig.1, and theu skeleton framework formed by them is structurally connectedwith a transversely reinforced sheet metal floor designated as a wholeby the numeral III in F' .2.

igt should be understood that the entire construction is substantiallysymmetrical with respect to the longitudinal vertical center plane, andthat the end underframes are substantially identical with the exceptionof details incidental to the fact that the car has, as customary, avestibule and entrance wells at one end. called hereinafter thevestibule end, but is free from such wells at the other end, calledhereinafter the non-vestibule end. The description or illustration ofone side of the body will serve,

therefore. as description for the other side, and the gures anddescription of either -one of the end underframes will in most casesserve for disclosing the construction of both end underframes exceptwhere the diilerences are specincally outlined.

'I'he construction of the end underframes is shown in detail in Figs. 4through 16. At ilrst. only the unitary structure composed of the centersill portion 4 and the bolster beam 5 as well as the collision or bumpermember II will be described, leaving the description of adjoiningportions of the floor and of the cross members to a later part of thespecification.

Each end underframe is welded together, preferably by electric arcwelding, from a plurality oi' steel plates cut to appropriate size, withthe exception of a, few complicatedly shaped parts auch as the endmember II which are preferably castings connected by welding to theremainder of the end underframe.

The center sill portion 4 of each end underframe comprises a pair oftransversely spaced vertical walls I2 reinforced along their upper andlower margins by outwardly directed iianges I3 and I4. These walls withtheir ilanges may be constituted each by a rolled U-section-see Fig. 1l.From the region of lateral brackets I5 serving for the attachment of thepartition wall'cross beam 3, to be described later on, the lowerportions of the walls diverge outwardly toward the end of the framethese diverging portions of the side walls and flanges are designated.respectively. I6 and I1 (Figures 4 to 6, 8, 13 and 15) 'lhe lowermarginal portions of the vertical walls I2 and I6 as well as theadjoining portions of the flanges I4 and I1 are cut away over part oftheir length and repiaced by a welded-in angle section piece I3 ofheavier gauge, the flange I9 of this angle section constituting acontinuation of the nanges I4 and I1 (Figures 5, 6, 9, 13 and l5) Thebrackets I5 are welded to the walls and flanges Il, I6, I3 and I9 andthe connection to the nange I3 is reinforced by corner gussets 'tu(Figures 4, 5 and 13).

At a short distance outboard of the brackets I5 each side wail I2 andits top nange I3 are continuedby an angle section member having avertical arm or wall 2I and horizontal arm or flange 22. The inboardends of these members are 1nterconnected by a vertical transverse web 23and their lower margins are connected to a horlzontal plate 24 which hasits lateral margins? welded to the upper margins of the diverging wallsI6 (Figures 4, 6, 8 and 13). On the outside of the walls I2 and I6, theplate 24 is continued inboard by nns 25 which extend across and somedistance inboard beyond the brackets I5 (Figures 5, 13 and 15). Atransverse angle section piece has the ends o f its arms 26 and 21welded to the upper and lower margins of the plate 23 so that its apexis on about the level of the flanges I3. The arm 26 is wider than thearm 21 and its marginal portions interconnect and form continuations ofthe flanges I3 and 22 (Figures 4, 5, 13 and l5). The space between thearm 26, the fins 25, the brackets I5 and the wall 23 is filled out bysmall plates 28 arranged in the planes of walls I2 and 2I (Figures 5, 13and 15) Besides, the triangular structure formed by the arms 26, 21 andthe plate 23 is centrally reinforced by a welded-in triangular gusset 29(Figure 4).

The end casting I I is a hollow section structure having its top wall3II arranged in line with the flanges 22 and its bottom wall 3| arrangedon the level of the plate 24 (Figures 5 and 6). Interior transverse webs32 and 33 are respectively arranged in continuation of the verticalwalls I6 and 2I (Figures 4, 7 and 8). The lower portion of the webs 32are continued by inner vertical wall portions of a bowv or yoke 34(Figures 6 to 8) serving for the support of the coupler (not shown). Apair of vertical horns 35 project beyond the top surface of the castingII and may consist of separately manufactured lpieces welded to thecasting proper along the lines 36. See Figures 3 to 8 and 13 to 15.These horns 35 serve as connecting means and reinforcements for and asparts of the collision beams or posts (not shown). The end casting I Iis welded, such as by arc welding, to the walls I6, 2I, 24 and to theilanges I4, 22 in plane 31 where the two structures meet (Figures 4 to6). Brackets 38 (Figures 4 and 5) serve for the support of buffer sidestems (not shown).

The top wall 26 of the angle section member 26, 21 is continued by a webor plate 33 which slopes downwardly in the direction toward the bolsterbeam 5 and has its side margins welded to the side walls I2. The inboardend of the plate 39 is welded to a horizontal plate 40 lwhichinterconnects the wall I2 at the level of the flanges I4 and extends inboth directions slightly beyond two transverse longitudinally spacedvertical webs or bulkheads 4I inserted between and welded to the walls I2 and the plate 40. See Figures 4, 6, 9, 10, 11 and 16.

Inserted between and welded to the walls I2 and the meeting margins ofthe webs 25. 21 and 39 is a transverse bulkhead 42 which is reinforcedby an inboard directed flange 43. the lower portions of which areconnected to a pair of castings or forgings 44, one on each side(Figures 6 and 9). These members 44 which are likewise welded to thewalls I2 and the reinforcing angles I8, serves as guides and abutmentsfor the draft and bumng gear (not shown). A second bulkhead 45 isarranged inboard of the bulkhead 42 and is likewise welded to theinclined web 33, the vertical walls I2, the members Il and to ahorizontal plate 43 which latter is welded along its lateral margins tothe members I8 and the walls I2 and arranged at about the level of theanges I4. The bulkhead 45 serves as the second abutment for the draftand fbuiilng gear.v See Figures 4. 6 and 10.

The side walls I2 with their flanges I3 and I4 extend inboard a shortdistance beyond the bolster beam 5. As shown in Figures 5, 6 and 16.

the upper portions of the walls I2 with their flanges I3 end at aconsiderable distance outboard of the lower portions with their anges I4which latter constitute on each side a rearwar extension or horndesignated by the numeral 41. These extensions of the side walls andtheir flanges are for the attachment of the body center sill I whichwill be described later on.

The webs or bulkheads 4I are arranged in line with the side walls 48 ofthe bolster beam 5 (Figures 12 and 16). The bottom walls 49 of thebolster halves have their inner margins secured to the flanges I4 andare consequently interconnected by the latter and the plate 49. Theupper walls 50 of the bolster beam halves are attached to the anges I3and continued and interconnected by a top plate 5I inserted between thewalls I2 and of about the same longitudinal extent as the bottom plate40. ASee Figures 4. 6, 12 and 16.

The box sectional bolster beams are interiorly reinforced on each sideby a web or bulkhead 52 and the connections between the side Walls 48and the top flanges I3 as well as the connection between the bottom wall49 and the bottom flanges I4 are reinforced by welded-in corner gussets53 and 54, respectively. The middle portions of the bolster beams areupwardly and outwardly inclined and their side walls and bottom wallsare provided with large openings 55 for saving of weight and for givingaccess for the welding operations. See Figures 4, 5, l2 and 16.

The outer ends of the bolster beams, as shown in Figures 4 to 6 and 12,are offset and provided with an upstanding plate 55 for fitting into andconnection with the side sills 51 and the adjoining side walls (notshown). The formation of the ends of the bolster beams and theirconnections to the side sills and to the side walls is more fullydisclosed in the application Serial No. 580,647 of Raymond J. Theriault,referred to hereinbefore.

From the foregoing description of the end underframes it will havebecome apparent that an extremely sturdy and strong structure isachieved which, for all practical purposes, can be considered as aone-piece structure inasmuch as its component parts are firmly weldedtogether by electric arc or similar welding.

Each end underframe structure is furthermore reinforced by a cover plate58 for the draft gear pocket, which plate is secured by a great numberof bolts 56' to the flanges I6 of the reinforcing members I8 and extendsin outboard direction beyond plate or web 45.

The axes of the stresses exerted by the buffer gear and by the draftgear (not shown) are indicated respectively, by the dot-an'd-dash lines59 and 56 in Figure 6. These stresses are transferred into the walls I2and, by means of the bulkheads 42 and 45 in collaboration with theinclined web 39 downwardly into the lower portion of the end underframenear the bolster beam. y

The purpose of this downward direction of stresses will become apparentfrom the following description of the construction of the body centersill I.

The body center sill I, as shown in Figures 12 and 16 to 19, consistsmainly of two transversely spaced vertical walls 5I and a bottom wall52. The side walls are channel sections, each having vertical web 53 andupper and lower marginal outwardly directed flanges 54 and 55. The webs53 are stiffened each by an inwardly projecting channel section groove55. The .bottom wall 52 consists of two super-imposed plates 51 and 68.The plate 51 has marginal upwardly directed flanges 59 which overlap andare secured, such as by electric spot welding, to the webs 53 of theside walls below the channels 55. The lower plate 58 underlies and issecured, such as by electric spot welding. to the arms or flanges 55 ofthe side walls and the web of plate 51. Both plates 51 and 58 areprovided with a`n upwardly projecting stiffening channel section portion10.

Disregarding the sheet metal flooring I0, which will be described lateron, the body center sill I presents an open-top box or hollow sectionwith a heavily reinforced bottom wall 52. The consequence 'of thisconstruction is, as shown in Figure 6, that the horizontal neutral planeof the sill, indicated by the dot-and-dash line 1I, lies far below thehorizontal plane, indicated by the dot-and-dash line 12, passing throughthe geometric center of the sill. In the illustrated embodiment, theneutral plane 1I is at about t/g of the height of the center sill. In apractical embodiment of a full size car the height 13 of the sill is15.4" and the distance 14 from the neutral axis 1I is located at 10.82"from the top, that is, from the upper surface of the flanges 54.

The ends of the body center sill I lt telescop- ,ingly between theinboard extensions of the side walls I2 and over the outsides of the topand bot'- tom flanges I3 and I4 of the end underframes. The webs 53 andthe bottom anges 55 with the marginal portions. of the reinforcing plate68 are connected by rivets 15 and 15 ,to the overlapped portions of theend frames. The connection between the upper flanges I3 and 54 will bedescribed after the description of the flooring. The underside of thebottom plate 55 is overlapped at each end by a center bearing casting 11which is connected to the plate 56 and to the flanges I t and 55 byrivets 18. See Figures 4 to 6, 12 and 16. The center plate serves, asusual, for the connection between the underframe and the trucks (notshown).

The transverse bearers or needle beams 9, best shown in Figures 17 and19, are of closed box sectional construction having longitudinallyspaced side walls 19 provided with iianges 60 along their lower margins,a bottom plate or web 8l interconnecting and secured to the flanges 86,and a channel section closing member 83 on each side of the center sillbridging by its web 85 the space between the walls 19 and secured by itsgroans arms l to the insides `oi' the latter. The side walls end at theoutside of the center sill and are secured to the webs 0I thereof byflanges 00. 'I'he bottom plate 0I extends across the center sill fromone side of the body to the other and is secured to the ilanges 0I andthe bottom plate 00 thereof. The intersection of the cross bearer andthe center sill is further reinforced by a pair of channel sectionmembers 01 which are secured by their bottom walls to the margins oi theplate 0 and thereby to the ilanges 00 and in their middle portion to theplates 61, 60 and the flanges 00.

Shear webs or bulkheads 00 are inserted between the upper portions ofthe center sill side walls 03 in line with the side walls 'Il of thecross bearer and are secured to the center sill side walls 63 by theirmarginal flanges 09 (Figures 17 and 19). The space between the twoplates 00 and between the inner ends of the cover plates 03 is bridgedby a channel section member 90 which is similar in cross section andarrangement to the cover plates 03. It may be noted here that the coverplates 03 and 90 are not considered main stress transmitting elements ofthe structure but that the upper chord of the cross bearer is mainlyformed by parts of the adjoining floor structure which will be describedshortly hereafter.

'I'he outer ends of the cross bearers are each closed by a verticalplate 9| which extends upwardly beyond the top surface thereof and thewalls of the cross bearers are offset so as to flt into the side sills51 (Figure 17). This end construction and the connections of the crossbearer with the side sills and with the side walls of the body (notshown) are more fully disclosed and form the subject matter of theapplication Serial No. 580,647, Raymond J. Theriault, repeatedlyrei'erred to hereinbefore.

The iloor between the cross bearers and between the cross bearers andthe bolster beams is constituted by a multitude of transversely arrangedchannel section members 92 having their bottom walls 93 arranged in oneplane and their side walls 94 abutting and connected with each other byspot welding and provided with inturned marginal anges 95. A few of thefloor pans, as at 90, face downwardly. See Figures 2, 3, 12, 16 and 19.'I'he pans 90 have their side walls connected with the adjoining sidewalls of the pans 92 and their bottom walls and anges arrangedrespectively in the planes of the flanges and bottom walls of the floorpans 92. The connection between the upturned and downturned floor pans92 and 96 is additionally reinforced by weldedon strips 91 (Figure, 16).The purpose of the open-bottom floor pans is to make room for pipe linesand the like.

At some locations the side walls of adjacent floor pans are slightlyspaced from each other, see at 98 in Fig. 3; and have their top flangesor walls connected by strips or bands similar to the strips 91, thisspacing may serve for the insertion between the juxtaposed side walls ofdownwardly extending braces as suspension means of accessories (thebraces and accessories are not illustrated) The bottom walls 93 of theopen-top floor pans 92 and the flanges 95 of the open-bottom floor pans90 rest on the top flanges 64 of the vcenter sill and are secured to thelatter together with reinforcing strips 99, preferably by electric spotwelding, Figs. 16, 18 and 19. Where the :door pans overlap the inwardportions of the end underirames, rivets |00 pass through the reinforcingstrips 99, the bottom wall 03 of the door pans, the anges 04 of the bodycenter sill and the top flanges I3 of the end underframe, as clearlyshown in Figs. 12 and 16.

The floor pans 92 adjoining the cross bearers I have their side walls 0Isecured to the side walls 10 of the cross bearer and are reinforced bychannel section members 0| which nest into the channel formed by thebottom wall Il, the side wall 94 and the flange 90 of the oor pan. Themembers |0| are also firmly secured to the floor pan and thereby to thecross bearer side walls 19. See Figures 17 vand 19. These floor panswith their reinforcements I0| extend over the entire width of the bodyunderframe and constitute the main top chord members of the crossbearers rather than the cover members Il, 00 within the cross bearer, afact briefly mentioned hereinbefore.

The outboard floor pans 92 abut with their outboard side walls 94. theinboard side walls I0 of the bolster beams and are secured thereto. Forthe latter purpose, a reinforcing band |0I is spot welded to 'the insideof the end side walls 94 and both are plug welded to the bolster wall48. See Figures 12 and 16.

The regions between the bolster beams 0 and the vestibule partitionbearer 0 or the brackets Il at the non-vestibule end are bridged byZ-section transverse members |02 having one of their arms |03overlappingly secured to each other and by rivets |04 and reinforcingstrips |05 to the top flanges I3 of the center sill portions of the endunderframes whereas their webs |06 are upwardly directed and have theirtop arms |01 arranged in one plane with the top flanges of the channelsection floor pans 92. The members |02 adjoining the bolster beams havea second upturned arm |00 (Figure 16) reinforced by a strip |0I' andabutting and secured to the outboard wall 40 of the bolster beam in thesame manner as described in the preceding paragraph for the inboard sideof the bolster beam. The outboard member |02, Fig. 13, has its topilange turned inboard rather than in the outboard direction as the othermembers |02.

The members |02 are preferably of substantially heavier gauge than theiioor pans 92, 0l so as to materially reinforce the end portions of thecar which have to carry heavy equipment such as air conditioningequipment, toilet facilities, etc. The ratio in thickness may be forinstance about 2 to 1. No effort has been made to show this differenceof gauge in the drawing.

At the non-vestibule end of the underframe (Figures 8, 13 and 14) fourshort open-top floor pans |09 are inserted between the web or arm |00 ofthe last member |02 and the inboard vertical wall |0 of the end crossbearer 1. The inner ends of these short floor pans |09 are supported oneach side by the outwardly extending horizontal arm ||I of Z-sectionplates |I2, the other arm III of which rests on top and is secured tothe respective iiange 22 of the end underframe. The ends of the plates||2 are secured respectively to the outboard member |02 and the inboardpart |I4 of the top wall of the cross bearer 1. The connection betweenmember I|2 and the floor pans is further strengthened by strips III'secured to the outer margin of the arm ||3 and the l inner ends of thetop flanges of the iioor pans.

Each cross bearer 1 consists in addition to the walls I I0, III, justdescribed, ot an outer top wall portion IIS, an outer wall |I0 and abottom wall |11, all of which members are overlappingly se- 4curedtogether so as to form a closed box sectional structure (Figures 13 to15). 'Ihe inner ends of the walls ||4 to |I1 are reinforced by platesand channel sections ||8 and 'I I3 spot welded to the insides of thesewalls and arc welded at to the end wall |2| of the casting The top wallportion I I4 and the inner wall I I0 overlap the top wall 30 and theinner wall |22 of the casting and are secured thereto by plug welds |23,|24 (Figures 8 and 14) A transverse reinforcing and attachment strip |25of angle section is secured to the top wall portion ||4.

The construction of the sill 8 at the vestibule end is identical withthe construction of the sill 1,

except that is has no floor pans |03 secured thereto, so that the samereference numerals are applied to sill 6 in Figure 15 and no furtherdescription thereof is required.

The partition 8 has a wall |28 (Figures 9 and 15) together with itsvertical hat section reinforcements |21 riveted to the brackets I5 andis secured by welding to the outboard web |28 of the last oor member|02. The wall |28 is slightly higher than the webs |06 of the adjoiningfloor members and it has its marginal'flange |23 turned inboard andconnected with a Z-section strip |30.

Two hat sections |3| are arranged longitudinally at both sides of thelongitudinal middle plane of the body, and two other angle sectionYmembers |32 are arranged close to the side margins of the underframe.'I'he members l3| and |32 extend from the end sill 1 and its strip |25(Figures 8 and 13) to the strip |30 at the partition structure 8 and aresecured by their flanges or one of their arms respectively to the topsof the l() employed. One such modified end underframe construction isdisclosed in the, before mentioned, simultaneously nled applicationSerial No. 588,760 of the present applicant and Albert G. Dean on Endunderframe construction for vehicles, especially railway cars."

It is pointed out in the beginning of this description that the endunderframes are mostly formed of steel plates are welded together and byan end casting Il. The remainder pf the disclosed construction is formedvpractically throughout of sheet metal parts connected with each otherby spot welding. The arc welds are conventionally diagrammaticallyindicated. The spot welds also are indicated at many places by asterisksor, in sectional views, by heavy black dots at the interfaces. The sheetmetal of the construction is preferably of the high tensile type andmore specifically cold rolled stainless steel.

With the full illustration and description of one embodiment of theinvention in mind, the main feature of the invention, mentionedhereinbefore, will be easily understood.

floor pans as well as on the wall portions ||4 and |30 of the transversemembers 1 and 8. The floor boards (not shown) extend between the members|3| and between the members |3|, |32.

The opening between the walls 2| near the outboard ends of each endunderframe is closed, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, by a removable plate|33 so as to give access to the chamber formed by the walls 2 I, thetransverse web 23 and the horizontal wall 24 and serving for housing thebuifer gear not shown) The center stem and the side stems of the buffergear project through the openings |34 and |35, respectively, of the endcasting The longitudinal members |38 bolted to the walls 2| serve forguiding the middle part of the buffer gear.

The outer ends of the floor pans 92, 96, |02 and |09 fit telescopinglyinto and are secured to the walls of the upper channel section portionof the side sills 51 (Figures 8 and 11) as is more fully disclosed inthe hereinbefore cited applications Serial No. 580,646 of the presentapplicant and -Serial,No. 580,647 of Raymond J. Theriault. The

side walls 51 ext'end uninterruptedly between and are secured to thenon-vestibule end sill 1 and the partition wall structure 8 (Figures 1and 2). The regions between the one bolster beam 5 and the end sill 1and between the other bolster beam 5 and the partition structure 8 arereinforced by downwardly facing channel sections |31 which have theirbottom walls secured to the undersides of the floor pans, their outerwalls to the side sills 51 and their inner walls to an angle sectionstrip |38. The ends of these members |31 are secured to the respectivebolster beams 5 and cross bearers 1 and 8. See Figures 1, 8, l1 and 12.

While the body center sill is illustrated and described in combinationwith substantially identical arc welded end underframes 2 and 3,different end underframes on one or both ends may be structure.

The tendency of center sills to bnd upwardly together with the remainderof the body under compression loads may be attributed to the fact thatthe loads are mostly applied near the underside of the body by thebuffer and coupler, see lines 59 and 60 (Figure 6), causing compressionof the center sill and the lower portion of the body whereas the upperportion of the body (not shown) is subjected to much less compressionforces and is consequently less foreshortened. The obvious consequenceof this condition is that the body will arch upwardly in its middleportion. Customarily center sills which have their neutral planeapproximately coincided with the horizontal transverse plane passingthrough the geometric center of the sill have no remedying eil'ect onthis situation.

The new center sill construction, however, with its great concentrationof strength in the lower portion of the sill effectively counteracts thetendency to arch or bend upwardly, because it requires much morestrength to compress the lower portion of the sill and thereby toforeshorten it than to compress the upper portion thereof.

In this connection it is worth mentioning that the floor pans, thoughforming main transverse structural elements for the entire vunderframeand also between the center sill side walls, are believed to have,partly on account of the transversely extending reinforcing grooves |39(Figures 16 and 18), no great strength in longitudinal direction so thatthe center sill is indeed practically an open-top box or hollow sectionThe bottom chord of this structure which is formed by the plates 61, 68and the flanges 65 has many times the strength of the top chordconstituted `merely by the anges 64 (Figure 18).

It will now also be easily understood how important it is that thestresses originating at the buffer and the bufilng gear are transmitted,withoutabrupt change in direction, downwardly in inboard direction whichis partly achieved by the inclined webs 39 and the bulkheads, bottomreinforcements and other transverse members such as 24, 26, 21 securedto the side walls I2 of the end underframes. In this same connection itwill be understood why the connection between the end underframes andthe lower portion of the body center sill is so much stronger andincludes a greater number of rivets than theconnection near the uppermargin of the body center sill.

The foregoing description and the attached drawing of one `embodiment isby way of illustration only and is not intended to limit the scope ofthe invention as deilned by the attached claims. the invention issusceptible of many modifications and of adaptations to specific bodyconstructions without departing from its spirit and basic principles,and` certain features of the invention, such as for instance the bodysill or the end underframe construetions maybe used advantageouslyindependently of other features.

What is claimed is:

l. In a vehicle body, an underframe having a longitudinal center sill ofsuch asymmetrical construction that its horizontal neutral plane is aconsiderable distance below the middle of the sills height, which sillis structurally connected substantially throughout its length along itsupper side to a shear panel structure of great transverse but littlelongitudinal stiffness.

2. In a vehicle underframe: such as for railway car bodies, alongitudinalcenter sill having two transversely spaced side walls and abottom wall but being substantially open at the top so that its neutralplane is closer to the sill underside than to its upper side, and atransversely reinforced panel closing the open top and structurallyconnected to' the upper margins of the sills side walls substantiallythroughout their length, the structure having great strength againsttransverse stresses and counteracting the tendency of the sill and ofthe remainder of the body connected therewith to buckle upwardly underheavy compression stresses.

3. Underframe for vehicle bodies such as railway car bodies comprisingbetween its wheel supported points a hollow section open-toplongitudinal center sill and a transversely reinforced panel,constituting the floor supporting structure, structurally connected tothe upper margins of the sill's side walls and extending across themouth and over at least a major part of the length of the sill.

4. Underframe center sill for vehicles such as railway cars consistingmainly of two heavy gauge channel section transversely spacedlongitudinally extending side wall members, of a heavy gauge bottom wallstructure extending between and connected to the lower marginal arms ofthe side wall members, and of alight gauge top wall structurallyinterconnecting and interbracing said side walls, so that the closedbox-sectional structure formed by said walls has its horizontal neutralplane substantially below the middle of its height.

5. A center sill for vehicles of open-top hollow section havinglaterally facing transversely spaced U-section side walls and a firstbottom wall member overlappingly attached to and interconnecting thelower arms of the side walls, in combination with a generally U-sectionsecond bottom wall member extending between and having its arms securedto the lower portions of the webs of the side walls and its web securedto the middle portion of said first bottom wall member.

6. In an underframe for vehicle bodies, such as railway car bodies, alongitudinal center sill having supporting points widely spaced fromeach other in the longitudinal direction of the sill, said sillcomprising two transversely spaced longitu- 12 tending bottom wallstructurally interconnecting the side walls and a transversely stiff butlongitu dinally weak structure extending across the mouth of the silland structurally interconnecting the upper margins oi' the side walls.

7. End underframe for vehicle bodies especially railway cars comprisinga center sill portion having transversely spaced upstanding side wallsinterconnected by transverse webs, one of said webs extending from apoint near the upper side and the outboard end of the center sillportion at a gentle slope in inboard direction to a point near theunderside of the center sill 'portion so as to direct compression forcesexerted on the center sill near its outboard end toward the underside ofthe sill.

8. End underframe for railway cars comprising a center sill portion anda bolster beam integrally connected to the center sill portion at adistance inboard from the latters outboard end, said center sill portionbeing provided with means for directing longitudinal impact stressesexerted on the center sill in a downwardly inclined direction toward apoint of the center sill near the bolsterbeam.

9. End underframe for railway cars comprising a hollow section centersill having transversely spaced side walls interconnected by transversewalls and webs, the outboard end of said sill being widened and providedwith a top plate for the accommodation of a buli'er suspension, said topplate near the outboard end of the center sill merging into a downwardlyand inboard sloping web extending between and secured to the side wallsand approaching the underside of the side walls near the attachment zoneof a bolster beam.

l0. Center sill construction for vehicles provided at its end portionswith means for the attachment of bumng and draft gear, in combinationwith a middle portion adjoining the end portions, which middle portionhas its horizontal neutral plane arranged below its geometriclongitudinal middle line, and means on said end portions adapted fordirecting at least a large part of the stresses exerted by the bufllngand draft gear without abrupt change in direction downwardly and inboardinto the lower part of the middle portion of the center sill.

11. In an underframe for railway car bodies and the like, a center sillhaving a thick walled end portion and a thin walled sheet metal middleportion, said middle portion having such asymmetrical construction thatits horizontal neutral plane is below the middle of the height of thisportion, the inboard end of the end portion overlapping and beingsecured to said middle portion for a greater length near the bottom ofthe sill than near its top.

l2. In an underframe for railway car bodies and the like, a center sillhaving a thick walled end portion and a thin walled sheet metal middleportion, said middle portion having such asymmetrical construction thatits horizontal neutral plane is below the middle of its height, theinboard end of said end portion of the center sill extending at thebottom a considerable distance further inboard than the top andoverlapping the outboard end of the middle portion of the sill, andconnecting means between the overlapping portions arranged near the topand bottom of the sill and4 extending over a greater length near thebottom.

13. Center sill structure for railway cars and the like comprising atleast one vertical wall prodinally extending side walls, alongitudinallyex- 7s vided with a laterally projecting web sloping 13 downwardly ininboard direction, bufiing and draft gear abutments arranged beneathsaid transverse sloping web and secured thereto as Well as to saidvertical wall.

14. In an end center sill for underframes of railway cars and similarvehicles, longitudinally extending and transversely spaced side wallsinterconnected by an inboard and downwardly sloping web, a transversebulkhead arranged beneath said web and secured to the same as well as tosaid side walls, a bottom plate interconnecting the lower margins of theside walls in the region of and secured to said bulkhead, said sidewalls, web and bulkhead constituting together a pocket for a builing anddraft gear and said bulkhead being adapted to serve as abutment for thebuiiing gear, and a removable cover plate structurally connected to theside walls, extending in outboard direction beyond said bottom plate andconstituting a main stress transmitting element of the center sillstructure.

15. End underframe for vehicle bodies especially railway cars comprisinga center sill portion having transversely spaced upstanding side wallsinterconnected by transversewebs, one of said webs extending from apoint near the top at the outboard end of the center sill portion at agentle slope in inboard direction to a point near the underside of thecenter sill portion so as to direct compression forces exerted on thecenter sill near its outboard end toward the underside of the sill andto interbrace the side walls of the sill, the inboard margin of said webmerging into and being secured to a generally horizontal plate whichextends inboard beyond said web and is secured to said side walls.

16. In a center sill for railway cars and the like, a pair oftransversely spaced longitudinal side walls constituted mainly by rolledU-sections, part of the vertical web and one arm of each U- sectionbeing cut out along part of the length and near the lower margin of thesill and replaced by an angle section member of heavier gauge, one armof which member is welded along its margins to the margins of thecut-out of the web whereas its other arm-has its ends welded to andarranged in continuation of the adjoining portions of the lower arm ofsaid rolled sections.

17. Center sill for railway car and the like vehicle bodies, having twotransversely spaced lonsitudinally extending upright side wallsinterconnected by a transverse generally longitudinally extending weband by a transverse structure generallyv triangular in side elevationarranged outboard of the end of said web, said structure having its oneside arranged substantially vertically with its middle at about theheight of the outboard end of said web and being adapted as abutment forcompression transmitting means and its other two sides converginginboard upon and secured to the end of said web.

18. Center sill for railway car and the like vehicle bodies, having twotransversely spaced longtudinally extending upright side wallsinterconnected by a transverse generally longitudinally extending weband by a transverse structure generally angle shaped in side elevationarranged outboard o f the end of said web, said structure having itsapex arranged at the height of and secured to the outboard end of saidweb and its two arms diverging outboard vupwardly and downwardlyrespectively, the outboard ends of said arms merging into generallyhorizontal longitudinally extending vertically spaced webs secured toand reinforcing said walls outboard of said structure.

19. In an end center sill for underframes of railway cars and similarvehicles, longitudinally extending and transversely spaced side wallsintei-connected by a web sloping at least over part of its length indownward and inboard direction, a transverse bulkhead arranged beneathsaid web and secured to the same as Well as to said side walls, a bottomplate interconnecting the lower margins of the side walls in the regionof and secured to said bulkhead, said side walls, web and bulkheadconstituting together a pocket for a buing and draft gear and saidbulkhead being adapted to serve as abutment for the buiiing gear, and aremovable cover plate structurally connected to the side walls,extending in outboard direction beyond said bottom plate andconstituting a main stress transmitting element of the center sillstructure.

20. In an end center sill for underframes of railway cars and similarvehicles, longitudinally extending and transversely spaced side wallshaving their upper portions over at least a part of the length of thesill interconnected by a transverse web, a transverse bulkhead arrangedbeneath said web and secured to the same as well :.s to said side walls,a bottom plate interconnecting the lower margins of the side walls inthe region of and secured to said bulkhead, said side REFERENCES CITEDThe following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 832,623 Pronty Oct. 9, 1906861,313 Ostrander July 30, 1907 1,002,469 Summa Sept. 5, 1911 1,274,113Wareld July 30, 1918 2,366,709 Dean Jan. 9, 1945

